APPOINTMENTS AND REGISTRATION
It may be helpful to understand some of the appointments we offer. Call our office at 253-761-2244 to make any of these appointment types, following their guidelines for timing.
Well Woman or Annual Exam: This is the important female exam that screens for breast, ovarian, and cervical cancers. Please call to schedule yours 3 to 4 weeks in advance, as this exam is not designed to address urgent problems. This lead-time lets us send you the paperwork we need filled out prior to your visit. Please have your paperwork filled out and ready to give to us at check-in. Patients who haven’t completed it may be rescheduled due to time constraints. The required paperwork can be printed out from the links below should you misplace your originals.
Insurance and Demographic Information
Gynecology Patient Questionnaire
Problem Visit: We save spots in each provider’s schedule for urgent problems. If you’re concerned about something, we make every effort to have you seen quickly—often the very day you call—so it’s best to call early if possible. When you have been scheduled for a problem visit, please do not ask staff to change your type of visit to include the components of an annual exam, as we will not have allotted enough time, nor should we do some of our usual procedures when you are having an issue. For example, the Pap smear can be made abnormal by some types of vaginal infections.
New OB Class: This is a required part of obstetric care for the newly pregnant patient. It is offered on alternating Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons. Women attend it early in pregnancy—usually between 6 and 10 weeks. During this 90 minute class, one of the Pearl Place Midwives helps a small group fill out their detailed medical, pregnancy, and family histories. This helps us notice potential problems early, and plan for them.
Some of the information shared during this class includes screening tests for chromosomal abnormalities like Down’s Syndrome, medication safety in pregnancy, safe food handling, and exercising safely in pregnancy.
New OB Visit: This visit is usually done at 12 weeks, and includes the female physical exam and listening for the baby’s heartbeat.
Routine OB Visit: These visits are done every 4-6 weeks until about 30 weeks of pregnancy, every 2-3 weeks until 36 weeks, and weekly until the baby comes. During each of these visits, the doctor or midwife measures the baby’s growth and listens for the heartbeat. Depending on stage of pregnancy, there may or may not be a need to order labwork or an ultrasound.
RESCHEDULING
The changeable nature of our business makes rescheduling a fact of life. If your provider is out of the office delivering a baby, we will do our best to let you know in time to reschedule, or fit you in with one of her partners so that you can still be seen that day. We always appreciate your understanding.
ARRIVAL TIME
To help our office run smoothly, we need you to arrive 15 to 20 minutes in advance of your appointment. Patients who arrive 10 minutes or more after their appointment time will be asked to reschedule. Those who habitually miss appointments without calling to cancel will be charged a $50.00 “no-show” fee.
PRESCRIPTIONS
Please ask your provider for a written prescription at the time of your examination. You may take it to your pharmacy or send it to your mail-order prescription service. Refills of non-narcotic medication may be requested over the telephone during regular office hours, but may take up to 48 hours for processing. You may also ask your pharmacy to fax a refill request to our office at 253-761-1040.
As a general rule, new medications are not prescribed without an examination. Narcotic pain medication is not prescribed or refilled after hours.
